The invention relates to a fuse insert having a flat insulating body and a pair of contacts projecting out of the insulating body, whose contact segments, which can be accommodated in accommodations of the insulating body, are connected with one another by way of a fusible conductor.
Fuse inserts having a flat insulating body are inserted into fuse holders with their contact tongues. Each fuse holder forms a disconnect in the line of a current circuit, and when the current circuit is intact, the fusible conductor bridges the disconnect. If a fault current occurs, the fusible conductor burns through, if applicable, and interrupts the current circuit.
In the case of known fuses, the insulating body that carries a fuse insert, in each instance, consists of plastics that are suitable for this purpose. The fuse inserts are generally punched parts made of metal, which are to be installed into the insulating body. The pre-finished insulating bodies and the fuse inserts, which are also pre-finished, if necessary, are brought together and connected with one another within a production line.
It is known to produce the connection by means of hot-embossing or ultrasound bonding, whereby locking of the fuse inserts usually takes place in that holes or break-throughs are disposed in their contact segments that are to be accommodated in the insulating body, which holes or break-throughs are penetrated by material of the insulating body, which has melted due to the heat applied during hot-embossing or ultrasound bonding. After the material, e.g. plastic, has cooled, each contact segment, and consequently each fuse insert, sits securely in the insulating body.
Aside from the effort and expenditure, in terms of process and devices, for carrying out hot-embossing processes or ultrasound bonding processes, with the cost disadvantages that result therefrom, forming the connection with heat also has the disadvantage that increased scrap rates can occur during the production of fuse inserts. This is connected with the fact that heating and cooling processes that proceed in absolutely uniform manner cannot be guaranteed, for example if only because of varying ambient temperatures at the production site.